Anchor end pivotal connection for idler arms



Feb. 20, 1968 T. c. GERNER ANCHOR END PIVOTAL CONNECTION FOR IDLER ARMSFiled July 8, 1966 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Theodare C Garner.

Feb. 20, 1968 T. c. GERNER 3,369,848

ANCHOR END PIVOTAL CONNECTION FOR IDLER ARMS Filed July 8, 1966 4Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig 5 Theodore 6i Garner IN VE N TOR BY MZ M Feb. 20,1968 c. GERNER 3,369,848

ANCHOR END PIVOTAL CONNECTION FOR IDLER ARMS Filed July 8, 1966 4Sheets-Sheet 3 F/gn8 fi 1/294 L l I I Theodore 6i Garner 1 N VEN TOR.

Feb. 20, 1968 T. c. GERNER 3,369,848

ANCHOR END PIVOTAL CONNECTION FOR IDLER ARMS Filed July 8, 1966 4Sheets-Sheet 4 T heodore 6. Garner IN VEN TOR.

BY -MW,

United States Patent 3,369,848 ANCHOR END PIVOTAL CONNECTION FOR IDLERARMS Theodore C. Gerner, 1800 S. Broadway, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73109Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 246,631,

Dec. 21, 1962. This application July 8, 1966, Ser.

6 Claims. c1. 308-71) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An idler arm endbracket for use in the steering linkage of an aut-omative vehicleincluding a housing with a female bore therethrough and a male pinextending into the bore and being journaled in relation thereto byspaced wedge means having bearing contact with the pin and wedgingcontact with the bore. Spring means is associated with the wedge meansto automatically compensate for and eliminate looseness caused by wear,imprecision and shock. The spring means engages one of the wedge meansand serves to exert an axial force for retaining the other wedge meansin biased engagement between the bore and pin.

This application is a continuation-in-part of copending application Ser.No. 246,631, for Idler Arm Repair Bushing filed Dec. 21, 1962, nowPatent No. 3,273,946 issued Sept. 20, 1966.

The present invention generally relates to an anchor end or framebracket end for idler arms for use in the steering linkage of anautomobile vehicle.

An object 'of the present invention is to provide an anchor end pivotalconnection for an idler arm of an automotive steering linkage to enablerelative movement between the idler arm and an anchor bracket forsupporting the anchor end of the idler arm from a support member and hasspecific structural features incorporated therein to enable any wearoccurring to be automatically compensated for and to enable thecomponents to shift or move slightly under impact forces or shock andimmediately return to their position thus providing an anchor endpivotal connection which not only automatically compensates for wear butalso automatically compensates for any excessive shock forces orimpulses imparted thereto by the steering linkage of the automotivevehicle.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide ananchor end pivotal connection in accordance with the preceding objectswhich includes a spindle or pin received in a housing with wedgeelements orientated between the spindle or pin and housing with all ofthe components having cooperating surfaces and are resiliently urgedinto cooperating relationship to compensate for or take up slack causedby wear and also to enable movement of the components in relation toeach other to not only permit normal operation of the idler arm but alsoto enable shock loads imparted thereto to be compensated for and topermit limited movement of the components after which the componentsreturn to their normal position with the structure being related in sucha manner to provide an accurate and positive support for the anchor endof the idler arm.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an anchorend pivotal connection for idler arm which provides an automatic slackor Wear take-up means to minimize or obviate lost motion in the pivotalconnection due to the development of wear and looseness or play with thepivotal connection being quite compact in construction and easilyapplied to or removed as a unit and may be either used as originalequipment or as a replacement component with the structure beingrelatively Patented Feb. 20, 1968 inexpensive to manufacture andmaintain and is especially accurate, dependable and long lasting.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the frame bracket and an anchor endpivotal connection incorporated therein for an idler arm constructed inaccordance with the present invention and with the idler arm shown inbroken lines;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassing upon section line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view, with portions thereof omittedfor clarity illustrating the various components 'of the anchor endpivotal connection and their relative positions when assembled;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the anchor endpivotal connection for the idler arm;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon a planepassingalong section line 55 of FIGURE 4 illustrating further structuraldetails of the interior of the pivotal connection between the idler armand frame bracket;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded group perspective view of the components of theanchor end pivotal connection illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical sectional view of a structure similar to FIGURE 5but illustrating two separate springs employed for retaining the pin andwedge elements in cooperating relationship;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional view illustrating an embodiment of theinvention having an elongated pin extending through a frame element ofthe vehicle;

FIGURE 9 is a transverse, sectional view taken substantially upon aplane passing along section line 9-9 of FIGURE 8 illustrating furtherstructural details of the pivot connection at the anchor end of theidler arm;

FIGURE 10 is a detail sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken alongsection line 10-10 of FIGURE 9 illustrating further specific structuraldetails of the upper wedge element;

FIGURE 11 is a vertical sectional view of a structure of the pivotalconnection similar to that illustrated in FIGURE 8 but with a shortmounting pin; and

FIGURE 12 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the relationshipof the mounting pin and upper annular wedge element.

Referring to FIGURES 1-3 of the drawings, there is shown an anchoradapted to be supported from a frame component of the vehicle in aconventional manner. The anchor 100 has a depending extremity .102 inthe form of a pin or spindle. This extremity pivotally supports theanchor end of an idler arm by a pivotal connection assembly indicatedgenerally by the numeral 104.

The pivotal connection assembly 104 includes a generally cylindricalvertically elongated housing 106 open at its upper end and providing adiametrically enlarged chamber 108 thereon. At its lower end, thehousing 106 is provided with an axial bore 110 therein whichterminates-in a closed bottom wall 1112 of the housing. The lowerdiametrically reduced end portion of the housing indicated by thenumeral 114 is externally threaded at 116 for the reception of a lockingnut 118 thereon. The locking nut 1'1-8 cooperates with an annularshoulder 120 formed at the junction of the upper portion of the housing106 with the diametrically reduced portion 114 to clamp the anchor endof an idler arm therebetween.

Received within the housing 106 is a slack take-up bearing assembly.This assembly includes upper and lower bearing units designatedgenerally by numeral 122 and 124 respectively. The upper unit consistsof an inverted cup-like member 126 having a conical surface 130 therein.Engaged with the surface 130 are a plurality of wedge means or elements128 which as shown in FIGURE 3 comprise cir-cumferentially extendingarcuate elements having exterior surfaces 132 which engage and cooperatewith the surface 130 of the cup member 126. A sealing ring 134 isinterposed between the inturned flange 136 of the cup member 126 and theupper end of the plurality of wedge elements 128 to effect a seal forthe upper end of the upper bearing assembly. A metallic washer 138underlies the flat surfaces of the lower ends of the wedge elements 128and is retained in place by a horseshoe washer .140 engaged upon adiametrically reduced portion 142 intermediate the ends of the anchorpin 102.

The latter terminates at its lower end in a conical downwardlyconvergent lower end portion 146 which defines generally a frustoconicalbearing surface about which are engaged a further set of wedge elements148. The wedge means or wedge elements 148 likewise have internalconical bearing surfaces 150 which cooperate with the conical surface ofthe lower end portion 146 of the anchor pin 102. A thrust Washer 152abuts against the flat bottom surfaces of the wedge elements 148 and aspring 154 bears against the washer 1-52 and the inner surface of thebottom wall 112 of the housing thus yieldingly urging the wedge elements148 in an upward direction. This urging of the lower set of wedgeelements 148 upwardly into wedging contact with the bearing surface 146will urge the pin 102 and upper Wedge elements 128 upwardly into wedgingengagement with the surface 130 and cause the wedge elements 128 to moveinto bearing engagement with the cylindrical external bearing surface onpin 102.

Referring specifically to FIGURES 4-6, the pivotal connection assemblyillustrated therein is generally designated by the numeral 160 and isillustrated on a frame crossmember 1 62 of a motor vehicle frame havingan idler arm anchor bracket 164 secured thereto in the usual manner suchas by suitable bolts 16 or the like. This bracket 16 4 terminates in adownwardly extending and offset pin or spindle 166 upon which isjournalled an idler arm 16-8 which has a relay end 170 connected to thesteering linkage of the vehicle (not shown), in the usual manner. Theidler arm 168 has a vertical housing 171 at the anchor end thereofprovided with a bore 172 therethrough in which is received the bearingmeans by which the idler arm 168 is rotatably journalled upon the anchorbracket 164 and the pin 166. It will be observed that the bore 172extends entirely through the enlarged housing or anchor end 171 of theidler arm 168.

In this construction, the depending pin or spindle 166 includes acylindrical bearing surface 174 having an annular groove 176 formedtherein which is nearer to the lower end of the cylindrical surface 174than the upper end. The lower end of the cylindrical surface 174 mergesinto a continuously varying, inwardly tapering conical bearing surface178.

The bore 172 through the tubular housing 171 on the end of the idler arm168 has an upper varying surface which converges and defines a conicalengaging surface 180. Interposed between the engaging surface 180 andthe cylindrical bearing surface 174, is a plurality of segmental wedgeelements or Wedges 1 82 which cooperate to define a conical exteriorsurface 184 which cooperates with and wedgingly engages the surface 180with the cylindrical interior bearing surface 186 defined by thecooperating wedges 182 engaging the bearing surface 174. An annularsealing ring such as O-ring seal 18 8 is interposed between the upperends of the wedges 182 and an inturned flange 190 on the upper end ofthe housing 171. A larger sealing member such as a rubber or felt gasketor the like 192 is interposed between the upper end of the housing 171and a shoulder 194 formed on the depending pin 166 on the anchor bracket164 to seal the pin or spindle 166 in relation to the housing 171 toprevent entry of dust and the like.

Engaging the lower ends of the wedges 182 is an annular metallic washer196 which retains all of the wedges 182 in substantially the samevertical position. Disposed against the undersurface of the washer 196is a cup-shaped retaining ring 198 which has a depending flange 208 atthe outer periphery thereof which overlies the groove 176 and receivesand retains a pair of split spring washers 202 or a single spiral splitspring washer orientated in the groove 176 which serves to urge the ring198 and washer 19*6 upwardly in relation to the bearing surface 174 thusretaining the wedges 1-82 urged upwardly into wedging contact withengaging surface and into bearing contact with bearing surface 174 withthe spiral spring enabling a certain degree of resilient axial movementof the wedge element 182 in relaiion to the surface 180 and the bearingsurface 174.

Interposed between the conical bearing surface 178 and a cylindricalengaging surface 204 in the lower end portion of the bore 172, is alower set of wedge elements or wedges 206 having an inclined or conicalinterior bearing surface 208 which cooperates with and engages thebearing surface 178. An exterior surface 210 engages and cooperates withthe interior surface 204 on the bore 172. A rigid annular metal washer212 engages the lower ends of the wedges 206 and the periphery of thewasher 212 has a depending flange 214 thereon to engage and center theupper convolution of a spiral coil spring 216 in which the lowerconvolutions are of less diameter than the upper convolution and whichengages and is seated on a retaining disk or plate 218 which is held inplace in the bore by an inwardly deformed flange 220 or the like whichis swedged over the periphery of the disk after insertion thereof withthe disk or plate 218being received within a peripheral shoulder 222for-med in the bore 172 with the shoulder being, of course, closed whenthe flange 220 is swedged over the disk or plate 218 which has aninwardly facing concave surface for centering the spiral coil spring 216in a known manner.

As illustrated in FIGURE 5, the lower end portion of the conical bearingsurface 178 is provided with an axial extension 224 of graduallyreducing diameter which terminates in a lower projecting end portion 226which is somewhat spherical in nature and which is received in generallythe lowermost convolution of the spiral coil spring 216 which serves toretain an alignment between the spring 216 and the longitudinal axis ofthe bearing surfaces 174 and 178.

In the bearing assemblies, suitable lubrication fittings 228 may beprovided along with lubricating passageways 230 or the like and variousother conventional expedients may be employed such as constructing thewedges of powdered metal such as sintered bronze or the like tofacilitate the wearing characteristics and lubrication characteristicsof the structures to enable a highly accurate structure to be providedand alsoone which is long-lastmg and substantially free of expensivemaintenance.

In both embodiments of the invention, the springs serve not only to urgethe lowermost bearing assembly or wedges upwardly into engagement withan interior conical bearing surface on the spindle or depending pin onthe anchor bracket but also to urge the housing whether it be anintegral part of the idler arm or a separate housing attached to anidler arm downwardly in relation to the pin so that the upper wedges arebrought into engagement with respective interior bearing surfaces 174and external engaging surface 180. Thus, the resilient springs in eachinstance serve to take-up wear between the cooperating bearing surfacesbetween the pin and the wedge elements or assemblies and also enableslimited relative longitudinal movement between the components to take upwear and also absorb shock loads imparted to the components and, ofcourse, the structure provides for the necessary relative pivotalmovement of the idler arm in relation to a vehicle frame.

FIGURE 7 illustrates an embodiment of the invention similar to that ofFIGURE 5 and which is designated generally by numeral 240. In thisconstruction, the pivotal connection for the bracket end of the idlerarm includes a tubular housing 242 provided with a bore 244 extendingtherethrough which is cylindrical in the lower portion and provided witha continuously and converging internal upper end portion 246 forreceiving upper wedge elements 248 having the lower end thereof engagedby a washer 250, a cup-shaped retainer 252 and a pair of split springrings 254 received in an annular groove 256 in a pin 258 which has theupper portion thereof cylindrical and which has a lower portion thereofcontinuously tapering as at 259. A lower set of segmental wedge elements260 are orientated in the cylindrical lower end portion of the bore 244and have internal cooperating surfaces which cooperate with the taperedend 259 of the pin 258. The aforedescribed structure is the same as thatspecifically described in conjunction with FIGURE 5.

The lower end of the pin 258 is provided with a projection 262 ofsubstantially cylindrical construction and of considerably lesscross-sectional area than the lower end of the pin 258. Encircling andguided by the projection 262 which is in the form of a projecting pin isa compression coil spring 264 which closely encircles the projecting pin262 and is mounted and guided thereby with the spring 264 having anormal length greater than the length of the projecting pin 262 with theinner end of the spring 264 engaging the shoulder 266 formed by thelower end of the pin 258 where the projecting pin 262 joins thereto. Theouter end of the coil compression spring 264 is engaged by and retainedunder compression by a retaining cap 268 which is retained in positionby a portion of the body or housing 244 being swedged over the p ripheryof the cap 268 as at 270 which is the same manner of retaining the cap218 in position in FIGURE 5. The cap 268 also retains a spiral coilcompression spring 272 in compressed relation with the smaller outer endthereof engaging the interior surface of the cap 268 and the largerupper end thereof engaging an annular washer 274 which rests against thelower ends of the wedge elements 260 and is provided with a downturnedperipheral edge 276 for retaining the spring 272 in engagement with thewasher 274 thus enabling the spring 272 to exert spring forces on thelower ends of the lower segmental wedge elements 260 while the spring264 independently of the spring 272 exerts spring forces on the pin 258and on the cap 268 thus urging the outer tapering surfaces of the upperwedge elements 248 into cooperating engagement with the inner taperingsurface 246 of the upper portion of the bore 244.

FIGURES 8-10 illustrate another embodiment of the pivottal connection atthe anchor end or bracket end of the idler arm which is designatedgenerally by numeral 280. In this form of the invention, the pin isdesignated by numeral 282 and has an elongated shank 284 as comparedwith the pins illustrated in the other figures of the drawings forextending through aligned apertures 286 on a frame element 288 of avehicle frame. While a boxshaped frame element 288 has been illustrated,the frame element may be channel-shaped or any other suitableconfiguration with the shank 284 of the pin 282 extending verticallytherethrough with one end of the shank 284 having a rigid collar 290engaging the lower surface of the frame element 288 and the upper endthereof having a threaded portion 292 receiving a nut and washerassembly 294 for rigidly but detachably anchoring the pin 282 to theframe 288. This structure is primarily for installations in which thepivotal axis of the idler arm bracket is disposed directly in alignmentwith a component of the vehicle frame 288.

In this construction, the idler arm housing 296 is provided with acylindrical bore 298 having an outwardly and continuously tapering lowerend portion 300. The pin 282 has a lower cylindrical portion 302 and anupper inwardly and continuously tapering portion 304. A resilient dustseal 306 is provided between the shoulder 290 and the upper end of thehousing 296 and an O-ring seal 308 is provided at the upper end of thehousing 296 where the pin 282 extends upwardly through an opening in theupper end of the housing 296. The lower end of the bore 298 through thehousing 296 is provided with a closure cap 310 retained in position byany suitable means such as by swedgingat 312. Depending from the lowerend of the cylindrical portion 302 of the pin 282 is a projecting pin314 having a spring 316 closely encircling the same and being ofcylindrical spiral construction and longer than the pin 214 to exertspring force axially of the pin 282. A spiral coil spring 318 isdisposed against the cap 310 and has its lower smaller end in encirclingrelation to the lower end of the spring 316 and the upper larger endthereof engaged with an annular washer 320 with this structure beingsimilar to that illustrated in the lower end portion of FIGURE 7.

In the cylindrical upper portion of the bore 298 in the housing 296,there is provided a wedge assembly which is illustrated in the form ofan annular wedge element 322 having planar upper and lower surfaces 324and 326 and an external surface which is substantially cylindrical andis designated by the numeral 328 with the external cylindrical surfacehaving a slight draft or taper with the smaller end of the externalsurface 328 being at the upper end thereof. As illustrated in FIGURE 10,the draft or taper is 3 although this may vary depending uponmanufacturing techniques and requirements. This draft enables theannular bearing element 322 to be inserted into the bore 298 and easilyforced into the cylindrical upper portion thereof by employing arelatively small force.

The internal surface of the annular bearing element 322 is designated bynumeral 330 and is continuously and inwardly varying upwardly whichcooperates with the varying surface 304. The internal surface 330 isprovided with a plurality of notches or grooves 322 extending throughoutthe length thereof which provide spaced areas of contact between thetapered pin surface 304 and the cooperating inner surface 330 of theannular bearing element 322 and also provides for passage of lubricatingmaterial and also serves as a collecting area for metallic particles orother particles which may be disposed between the cooperating andcontacting surface areas on the pin and wedge element thus retaining thecontacting areas clean and well lubricated.

A lower wedge assembly is disposed in the lower tapering or varyingsurface area 300 of the bore 298 and this wedge assembly includes aplurality of separate or segmental wedge elements 334 which have aninner cylindrical surface for cooperating engagement with thecylindrical portion 302 of the pin 282 and an external varying surface336 for cooperating contacting engagement with the varying internalsurface 300 of the bore 298. The interior surface of the wedge elements334 is designated by numeral 338 and during normal pivotal movement ofthe housing 296 relative to the pin 282, bearing contact is made betweenthe varying surface area 304 of the pin 282 and the internal cooperatingsurface 330 of the annular bearing element 322 and between thecylindrical surface 302 of the pin 232 and the internal surface area 338of the bearing elements 334. The action of the spring 318 is against thesegmental bearing elements 334 to take up any wear which occurs betweenthe wedge elements 334 and the cylindrical surface 302 of the pin 282while the spring 316 exerts axial pressure to take up any wear whichoccurs between the varying surface 304 of the pin 7 282 and the internalsurface 336 of the annular bearing element 322.

FIGURES 11 and 12 illustrate a structure similar to that illustrated inFIGURES 8-10 with the exception that the pin 282 is relatively short andprovided with a relatively short tapered or varying surface 34% forreception and anchoring in a corresponding tapered mounting bore in asupporting structure (not shown). A threaded end 342 is employed on thepin 282' for anchoring the pin 282 on a suitable support. Other thanthis difference, the structure is the same as that set forth in detailin conjunction with FIGURES 8-10 and the same reference numerals areapplied to FIGU ES 11 and 12 where the structure is identical.

In each form of the invention, the bearing contact occurs on theexterior surface of the male member, pin or spindle forming part of theanchor bracket Whereas the wedging contact occurs between the wedges,wedge means or wedge members and the internal surface of the bore formedin the housing whether the housing be of one-piece or of multiple piecesas illustrated in FIGURES 13. Also, when the wedges are in wedgingcontact with the surfaces of the bore, they will be rotatably fixed orstationary in relation to the bore. Where both Wedge means are in theform of a plurality of independent wedges of arcuate cross-section, alimited degree of movement may occur upon application of shock loads,impact or the like but the springs associated therewith in each instancewill immediately return the wedge means so that the wedging contact willexist between the wedge means and the interior surfaces of the bore. Inthe embodiment of the invention using one annular ring as one of thewedge means, the annular ring, of course, is permanently fixed into thebore and of course is rotatably fixed in relation thereto.

The provision of a single conical or diametrically varying surface onthe male member or pin facilitates the manufacture of the pin byemploying a cold heading procedure which will form a conical or taperingsurface of sufficient precision to eliminate the necessity of finishgrinding of the male member or pin. This construction also eliminatesthe problem of the bearing contacts binding or jamming since thelongitudinal axis of the pin will form the axis of the cylindricalbearing contact or surface and also the conical bearing of contact orsurface. The employment of independent springs enables the two springsto be lighter inasmuch as the two springs enable a portion of the loadsencountered to be more equally absorbed as compared with using a singleheavy spring. The use of the single annular member as One of the wedgesprovides a simple assembly technique in that no particular specializedtools are required to assemble the annular member and no particularexcessive pressures are necessary to force the annular member into thebore.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with an idler arm, an anchor end pivotal connectioncomprising -a male member having, axially spaced, a cylindrical bearingsurface and a conical bearing surface; a female housing including a borehaving, axially spaced, a conical surface and a cylindrical surface; afirst wedge means having an outer surface contacting the conical surfaceof said bore and rotatably stationary with respect thereto and an innerbearing surface contacting the cylindrical surface of the male memberfor rotation of the male member thereagainst; a second wedge meansaxially spaced from said first wedge means having an outer surfacecontacting the cylindrical surface of said bore and rotatably stationarywith respect thereto and an inner bearing surface contacting the conicalsurface of the male member for rotation of the male member thereagainst;at least one of said first wedge means and said second wedge means beingmovable axially with respect to said bore, and a spring means urging themovable Wedge means axially with respect to said other wedge means, eachof the wedge means including a plurality of circumferentially arrangedwedges of arcuate cross-section with the wedges having internal bearingsurfaces, and means retaining one set of Wedges fixed longitudinally ofthe male member so that upon relative movement of the housing inrelation to the male member, the wedges will be retained in position,the means for retaining said one set of wedges in position including agroove in the male member, an annular member engaging one end of thewedges, and a spring retainer engaging the groove and the annular memberfor resiliently supporting the wedges from the groove.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing has an externallythreaded lower end portion adapted to extend through the anchor end ofan idler arm, a retaining nut on said threaded portion for retaining theidler arm anchor end on said housing.

3. A steering linkage idler arm comprising at the frame bracket end:

(1) a housing having a bore with, axially spaced, cylindrical uppersurface and a diametrical varying surface;

(2) an anchor bracket including a pin extending axially into said bore,with axially spaced, a diametrically varying upper bearing surface and acylindrical lower bearing surface;

(3) an upper wedge means having an exterior surface in rotatably fixedwedging contact with the upper surface of said bore and an inner surfacein bearing contact with the upper bearing surface of said pin;

(4) a lower edge means axially spaced from said upper wedge means andhaving an exterior surface in rotatably fixed wedging contact with thelower surface of said bore and an inner surface in bearing contact withthe lower bearing surface of said pin; and

(5) resilient means continuously urging both said bearing contacts andat least one of said wedging contacts whereby looseness caused by wear,imprecision and shock are automatically eliminated, at least one of saidwedge means including a plurality of arcuate wedges orientedcircumferentially of the bore, said resilient means biasing said wedgesinto wedging contact and bearing contact, said resilient means includinga pair of independent springs, one of said springs biasing the pluralityof wedges, the other of said springs biasing the bearing contact of theother of said Wedge means independent of the spring biasing the wedges,the other of said wedge means including an annular member ofwedge-shaped cross-section, said annular member being received in thecylindrical upper surface of the bore, the external surface of theannular member being substantially cylindrical and provided with aslight draft to facilitate insertion of the annular member into thebore.

4. A steering linkage idler arm comprising at the frame bracket end:

(1) a housing having an axial bore with a cylindrical surface and avarying tapering surface axially spaced therein,

(2) an anchor bracket including a pin that extends into said bore andincludes a cylindrical bearing surface and a varying inwardly taperingbearing surface arranged axially and with a common axis,

(3) a pair of axially spaced wedge means,

(4) said wedge means having biasing contact with the bearing surfaces onthe pin and contact with the surfaces in the bore, and

() spring means biasing the wedge means into operative position againstthe bearing surfaces on the pin and at least one of the wedge meansagainst a surface in the bore,

(6) one of said wedge means including a plurahty of circumferentiallyarranged arcuate Wedges, (7) said spring means including a first coilspring brasing said arcuate wedges into operative position against thebearing surface on the pin and against the surface in the bore,

(8) said spring means including a second coil spring biasing the pin andhousing axially to bias the other wedge means, and bearing surf-ace onthe pin into bearing contact.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 wherein:

(1) said first coil spring and second coil spring are disposed at thesame end of the pin,

(2) said second coil spring being disposed concentrically within thefirst coil spring,

(3) said pin having a reduced axial extension received in said secondcoil spring.

6. A steering linkage idler arm comprising at the frame bracket end:

(1) a housing having a bore with, axially spaced, cylindrical surfaceand a diametrical varying surface;

(2) an anchor bracket including a pin extending axially into said borewith, axially spaced, a diametrically varying bearing surface and acylindrical hearing surface;

(3) a first wedge means having an exterior surface in rotatably fixedwedging contact with the cylindrical surface of said bore and an innersurface in bearing contact with the varying bearing surface of said pin;

(4) a second wedge means axially spaced from said first Wedge means andhaving an exterior surface in rotatably fixed wedging contact with thecylindrical surface of said bore and an inner surface in bearing contactwith the varying bearing surface of said pin; and

(5) resilient means continuously biasing both said bearing contacts andat least one of said wedging contacts whereby looseness caused by wear,imprecision and shock are automatically eliminated, at least one of saidwedge means including a plurality of arcuate wedges orientedcircumferentially of the bore, said resilient means biasing said wedgesinto wedging contact and bearing contact, the surfaces on the wedgemeans varying inwardly in the same longitudinal direction and saidresilient means also biases the pin axially of the bore, the bearingcontact between the first Wedge means and the pin varying inwardlydiametrically whereby the bias on the pin will take up looseness betweenthe pin and first wedge means, said resilient means including a pair ofsprings disposed at one end of said bore, one spring exerting forcesolely on the second wedge means, the other spring exerting force solelyon the pin.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,568,334 1/1926 Hubbard 308-2,418,219 4/1947 Bley 308-70 2,660,906 12/1953 French 280 X 2,913,25111/1959 Herbenar 308-71 X 2,974,975 3/ 1961 Thomas. 3,044,798 7/1962Gerner 308-71 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,026,004 4/ 1966 Great Britain.

MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Primary Examiner.

R. F. HESS, Assistant Examiner.

